So I bet some of you thought my blogging was short lived... not the case! My husband, Joe, and I took some much deserved R & R and slipped away on a 3 week vacation. Summer is typically a slower time of year for the event industry, but each year is different so you better make plans in advance or you won't be able to get away... which was my mistake last year! But I have to say we made up for it in 2008.

We ventured up to Seattle for a few days and then on to Vancouver for a few more. And then we boarded a seven day Holland America cruise from Vancouver to Alaska. And then the fun really began... another whole week in the Alaskan wilderness. Okay, truth be told, we didn't rough it like in the movie "Into the Wild", but those of you who saw the movie and knows what happened in the end, well we opted for B & Bs and hotels instead! On the cruise we stopped in Ketchikan, Juneau (my favorite port by far) and Skagway, as well as cruised the Glacier Bay. The scenery is amazing and the wildlife is incredible. We took a float plane ride of death... I say that because it was raining and windy and I did a lot of serious praying... We hiked Mendenhall Glacier which was breathtaking. We also took a jet boat tour in Haines where our driver got us stuck in a sandbar, but the two bald eagles right above us (and probably laughing at us) and the black bear sighting made it well worth it.

Once we got off the ship in Seward the true adventure began. We stayed in Seward for a couple of days where we got to feed the puffins at the Alaska SeaLife Center. That was so cool (and really smelly). We walked along the water's edge to watch the sea otters playing and eating. But probably the best part of the trip in my opinion was the catamaran ride to Kenai Fjords. Talk about jaw dropping memories. We saw killer whales playing with porpoises, a breaching humpback whale, seals, sea lions, mountain goats, lavender and orange starfish, and our boat got about 150 feet from a caving glacier. Some moments I would just stand there with my jaw hanging open and totally forgot that I should be taking pictures! It was wildlife at its fineness.

Then we rented a car and took off for Denali National Park and Preserve. The tour in the old, rickety school bus through Denali rivaled the boat to Kenai Fjords. We were nearing the end of our vacation and I had yet to see a grizzly bear. Every time we heard about a sighting we were off and running towards it. I know, most people would do the opposite, but it was number one on my list of things to see. We always seemed to be just a little too late. Well, this time, SCORE! Not one, not two, but six grizzlies... including two cubs! And we saw a grizzly chasing a wolf pup (I know, I was cringing too!), then all of a sudden the grizzly stopped dead in its tracks and started running the other way... Mama wolf came to save the day!! She was hot on that grizzly's tail! It was truly a National Geographic moment. We also saw moose (and baby calves), dall sheep, caribou, and lots of other critters that I can't remember their official names. Totally worth sitting in a school bus for 8 hours!

So now, back to reality and real life. It's always fun to get away, but it's also nice to come back home. Now I am totally energized and rested and ready to tackle the work at hand... planning perfect events!!